There is more than one reason to consider . I am considering it, and my hearing is better than his (technically). Speech comprehension (less than 50% with hearing aids on). My hearing aids bring a lot of sounds back to my life, but understanding them is another story. Maybe he will come back and tell us what tipped him in favor of the Xceeds. I personally would like to understand speech better, and the only path visible to me is CI. I am not in favor of having surgery, so there is the dilemma. I also have not had an eval for CI. It might not even be possible or advisable. Maybe he is just thinking out loud and using the forum for a sounding board??
Not questioning why someone would consider getting a when aids have failed. Questioning why someone who says there current aids are “awesome” would ask board if they should get CI assessment. Seems rather redundant - don’t you think.
Questioning why someone who says there current aids are “awesome” would ask board if they should get CI assessment. Seems rather redundant - don’t you think.
I don’t.
I did exactly the same.
evaluation serves several purposes, one of them is to see if you even can be CI candidate from the point of nerves themselves.
Here in Berlin, at one place I’ve been, they don’t consider you candidate until your is above 50%. Mine is 70-80. They ‘measured 100’ on just 4 words
However, having good nerve is crucial.
Most of the time you can’t figure that out until you undergo such evaluation.
And to me, it was important to find out what future holds, eg am I a candidate or I cannot count on that help further along the line.
And I am happy with my paradises, and I have only unilateral hearing loss.
In Croatia, I’m considered healthy, in no need for aids even (eg no insurance coverage at all). Here in Germany, I have insurance coverage plus unilateral CI here is a thing.
Also, thinking about CI before someone tells you they’re the only option left, gives you time to understand tech behind it, to me all this research helped me to understand hearing aids better and their limits and my loss and its limits.
I’m definitely more satisfied now, after I found out so much, than before I started this digging, when my only information was ‘I don’t hear right and I have an exotic loss’. Satisfaction came through understanding and shifting focus on working with what I have.
I’d recommend CI evaluation now to anyone who is even remotely not opposed to having them sometime in the future when loss gets worse and now has wrs of 80 or less.
Those with wrs 50, I’d recommend to start working on your cons and sort them out ASAP, especially if you’re in working force.
Having less than 90% wrs means your cochlea is damaged and it messes up with comprehension. CI skips the cochlea entirely.
However, if you leave your brain a long time without some input, it might not know what to do with it once you give that input.
And facing the CI op is hard when they tell you first time that you’re candidate. People delay the decision for years. I think I’ve read somewhere that to someone they said, after a bunch of years of waiting, that CI doesn’t make sense anymore since chances of it helping them are slim, and risks outweigh the benefits.
I didn’t want CI now, even if they told me that they approve the OP. I just wanted the information and have my time to think about it.
However, knowing what I know now, the moment they tell me they approve OP, I’ll do it with probably minimal delay if any.
If they approved me now, I said I’ll wait around a year or so, since I got streaming capable aids and I can do proper training, and to have better starting position with CI, than what I would have with old, poorly fitted aid.
One reason is bc I’m hooked up on and just don’t have energy to argue with someone to give me this or that.
However, since noahlink wireless is coming to the aids, future looks brighter
But, CI op isn’t trivial, and brings risks, so it is important to make as educated decision as possible. Those start by asking questions around.
And no, someone said that ‘specialist will tell you if you should do it’, unfortunately, not all specialists are really specialists, nor many of them actually understand hearing loss struggles.
I went through 3 clinics here and none was able to properly do tests (not masking, not doing wrs, doing only a few high frequency words for low frequency loss, not be able to do bone conduct test at all, doing test with speakers insisting that I use both ears, not understanding their instruments etc). I’m glad I know better and have fitter who is doing tests properly, so I know what is the real status of my loss, but I’m a bit terrified by thinking that those ‘specialist’ will or won’t give someone aid based on their poor testing skills. Ok, more precisely, their assistants performing poorly.
Everyone’s hearing level is different as well speech comprehension. But (sorry Blacky) when you get to the level of seeking advice or pursing a , hearing aids for the most part (1) are not doing the job (2) not a foreseeable option in future. Where ethan.coulon79 lost me was not the consideration for a CI evaluation, nor comparison results with his/her current Xceed aids. It was stating “I can hear some what” with my current Oticon Xceeds on December 10th, to claiming Dec. 13th - “I can’t even explain how awesome my Oticon Xceeds are”. Pretty impressive turn around in three days.
Honestly, I doubt anyone who has received an CI, or plans to have one in the future - has told their CI team - “Gee I can’t even explain how awesome my new hearing aids are. Now lets discuss CI options”. Its 99% the other way around where a is of no help, while a CI is viable last option.
It would be nice to know what his word recognition is with and without the hearing aids. I do not understand speech without my hearing aids. My is below 40% with them on, however; That in itself is an amazing imrovement! I am planning on investigating in my “Bad” ear when the covid thing has faded. Strictly speaking, my pure tone probably wouldn’t qualify for CI. I really think it would be helpful if he came back and explained himself. There may be real reasons for his apparently opposing statements about his hearing aids. His audiogram shows pretty poor hearing IMHO.
Something to consider. Do one at a time. The reason is that while the CI is started up and for a while after you are likely as good as deaf in this ear. Meanwhile you have a in the other ear so can still hear some. Then when you are hearing OK with CI number one you can move on to number two.
Hi all!
I know I’m adding to an old thread, but, I got a ! Only the right side for now (had very little residual hearing). Activation was about a week ago, still trying to identify sounds, but technology is amazing!
Cheers!
I know I’m adding to an old thread, but, I got a CI!
Congratulations!
Please start a new thread in the cochlear implant forum so you can keep us updated.
Good place to ask questions too.
It is a good place for us to ask you questions too.
Activation is so different with everyone.
Each of my activations were totally different!
Congratulations Ethan, welcome to the family. I agree with @Raudrive please start your new journey in Cochlear implant thread. I hope activation went well for you, and that you are making some sense grom the chipmunk sounds. Good luck to you.
Boston
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